Summary

Whit flashes back to the times he had as a signalman for the Navy in World War II.

Plot

Whit is writing a magazine article for Sunday school teachers when Connie brings him the mail. In it is an airmail letter containing two words: "Manatugo Point." Reading the letter and later perusing old journals brings back a flood of memories for Whit.

Flashback to World War II: Young John Avery Whittaker is a signalman just assigned to the U.S.S. Irongate, headed for Guadalcanal. Once there, he is immediately assigned to a patrol boat that's on a mission to rescue a "coast watcher"-a member of the British navy who is hidden on the island. Coast watchers keep tabs day and night on the Japanese and relay their movements to the Allied forces. It's dangerous work, and this particular coast watcher - Lieutenant Reginald Duffield - hasn't been heard from for days.

Young Whit and his commander, Lieutenant Evans, lead a team onto the island at Manatugo Point. There, they meet up with an island boy named Malanga, Lieutenant Duffield's co-worker. Malanga leads them on a tense journey to the injured Leftenant, who then guides them all back. Once there, Duffield realizes that Malanga would be safer back in his village and reluctantly decides to send him away. At last, the rescuers get back to the PT211, which scurries off just before a Japanese patrol floats ashore.

Back to the present. Whit closes his journal. He basks in the glow of fond memories, wondering if the mysterious letter means an old friend is coming back into his life.

Notes

Trivia

VERSION DIFFERENCE: The broadcast version of this episode begins with Chris at a veteran's day parade.

This episode takes place in 1942.

Rescue from Manatugo Point contained a remarkable performance. The young boy, Malanga, was played by Katie Leigh, the same actress who plays Connie! Katie Leigh used a similar tone when she overdubbed the voice of the young maharaja in the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. (1984)

John Duffield is the name of Paul McCusker's father-in-law, which makes it probable that this is where Reginald Duffield's last name comes from. Source: Acknowledgments in PM's "A Season of Shadows" - John Duffield is said to have "provided information from his personal experiences in the Blitz."

The musical theme playing in the background of the scene where Whit is reading from his journal, around the time he first boards the PT-211, sounds remarkably like the WWI song "Over There". The musical theme behind the scene where the PT-211 decides to lower rafts can be recognized as "Anchors Aweigh": the Naval Academy's fight song and unofficial song of the Navy as a whole.